Mr. Choate to Mr. Hay.
London, March 8, 1900.
Sir: I have the honor to report that I have seen Lord Salisbury in reference to your cable received 2d instant, expressing the desire of American shippers for the speedy release of the Mashona. I told him that I believed the general interests of American trade between New York and South Africa would be promoted if she could as soon as possible be put in a position to resume her trips to the British ports on that coast, and that it was a disturbance to established trade to have her taken off for so many months. He agreed with me that it was a recognized mischief for a vessel engaged in such trade to be kept idle longer than was necessary, and said that he would do what he could to hasten her release, though neither of us could define exactly what steps he could take in that direction. There seem to be interminable delays about that case arising from two causes, first, the difficulties upon which I have already dwelt so often, of proving title to the goods, which they are anxious to release, and, second, the slowness of communication between the departments here and those in the South African colonies.
I have, etc.,